The theatrics of Man With A Mission
Words: Helena Juric
★★★★★
When Man With A Mission took to the stage with their wolf masks on, I was a bit taken aback by the amount of MWAM flags that fans had bought with them, along with lights and glow sticks - I wasn’t sure what sort of vibe to expect as I had never listened to MWAM before.
As I approached Shepherd’s Bush O2 Empire, I could see a group of men stood by a door which I didn’t realise at first, was the stage door. I greeted the group of men, explaining I was reviewing the show but wasn’t sure where the entrance was. They were very polite and helped me find my way.
As I entered the venue, ready to watch the support act, Hands Like Houses, I was overwhelmed by how packed the place was!
I quickly noticed that there was a strict request for no photography at this event which made the whole show really immersive and I really got swept in the atmosphere. I have never seen so much unity in a crowd, I sort of wish I could’ve filmed it!
Their sound is very joyful with a mixture of blast beats and synth. I especially loved the amount of guitarists present on stage! The barrier between the band and the crowd seemed to be very blurred and this show was certainly interactive and inclusive to everyone. I couldn’t see one person not either dancing/moshing/smiling. It was truly a beautiful experience.
Halfway through their set, a film was projected onto the backdrop. I can’t entirely remember the plot of it as I was speaking to a fan during it being shown, but it was very surreal and comical in parts too.
What I enjoy most about Man With A Mission is the theatrical costume, withholding their identities but also their ethos of ‘do whatever you like at this show, just don’t hurt anyone.’
Sadly I had to leave early but not before hearing the acoustic version of ‘Dead End In Tokyo’ which I listened to twice on my way home as it really captured my attention, seeing it live and was quite honestly, the highlight of the performance for me.